This invention relates to automotive suspensions and more particularly to an improved shock-absorbing assembly providing a metal-to-metal jounce stop arrangement which allows increased wheel travel during full jounce stroke while insuring extended service life for the elastomeric jounce bumper surrounding the shock piston rod.
An example of a suspension strut upper support mount having an improved spring characteristic is found in Shiratori et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,465,296 issued Aug. 14, 1984. The invention provides a rubber block having a predetermined configuration for receiving oscillating loads in a relatively smooth manner.
The Farrell U.S. Pat. No. 4,747,587 issued May 31, 1988 assigned to the assignee of the present application, discloses a low profile strut isolator and jounce bumper upper mount providing a compact resilient assembly adaptable for a vehicle having a reduced hood line. The Ferrel assembly comprises an upper mounted seat assembly including an inverted cup member having an upper body portion and a lower neck portion joined by an integral reverse-bend stop flange. A convoluted elastomeric sleeve, having its upper end fixed to the cup neck portion, extends axially a predetermined distance surrounding the upper end of the strut outer casing with the suspension strut supporting the vehicle in its statically loaded or design state. The suspension strut outer support casing includes a contact ring adapted to engage the convoluted sleeve providing jounce bumper cushioning of the strut.
The Kawaura U.S. Pat. No. 4,478,396 issued Oct. 23, 1984 discloses an elastic support structure for a vehicle suspension shock comprising a first rigid member to be subjected to shocks and vibrations produced in a wheel assembly, a second rigid member to which shocks and vibrations may be transferred from the first rigid member, and an elastic member composed of a least two segments similar in geometry constructed independently of each other formed with annular grooves.
The McClellan U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,370 issued Jan. 7, 1992 is an example of a vehicle front suspension strut having integrated jounce and rebound stops. In the McCellan patent the suspension spring rebound load is placed on a lower rebound stop member of the mount and the suspension jounce load is placed on an upper jounce stop member of the mount.
The Okuzumiis U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,730 issued Jun. 19, 1990 an example of a vehicle front suspension strut wherein the upper end of the strut piston rod is engaged in an inner sleeve of a mount insulator for limited axial movement relative to the inner sleeve.